The AI Agent Builder: What It Is and the Best No-Code Options
An AI agent builder is a platform for creating AI agents that carry out multi-step work across your apps, such as answering email, updating a CRM or researching leads, without writing a full program. Some are no-code and aimed at business staff; others are low-code or developer tools. Below, ten we list are compared on free plan and setup effort.
Last checked: against our verified listings (each vendor's page was read when the listing was verified; dates on each tool page). Not affiliated with the companies listed. Based on public information — not tested by us. How we check.
No-code, low-code or developer tool: who each is for
- No-code, for business staff: Lindy (small teams that want to hand repetitive email, reporting and CRM work to no-code agents.) and Gumloop (teams that want non-technical staff to build AI agents for sales, marketing and ops work.)
- Automation platforms with agents added: Zapier and Make connect many apps; automation platform connecting 9,000+ apps, with Zapier Agents that carry out tasks across connected tools.
- Technical teams: n8n, Dify and CrewAI offer code steps, self-hosting or a code-first API.
- Company-wide or specific jobs: Relevance AI and StackAI target larger organisations; Botpress focuses on customer support agents.
Side by side
| Builder | Free option | Self-serve signup | Setup level (our listing, 1 easy – 3 hard) | Main limit (vendor-sourced) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindy | No permanent free plan | Yes | 2 | No permanent free plan; the free start is $50 in credits that expire after 7 days. |
| Gumloop | No permanent free plan | Yes | 2 | No free plan listed (14-day trial only); usage metered by credits plus an orchestration fee. |
| Make | Yes (limited) | Yes | 2 | Price rises with credit volume; complex scenarios take time to learn. |
| Zapier | Yes (limited) | Yes | 2 | Free plan is limited to 100 tasks per month; Agents are priced separately from Zaps. |
| n8n | No permanent free plan | Yes | 2 | Cloud plans are paid after the trial; more technical than no-code agent tools. |
| Dify | Yes (limited) | Yes | 2 | Self-hosting needs technical setup and the license is not standard open source; free Sandbox credits are one-time. |
| Relevance AI | No permanent free plan | Yes | 2 | Pricing not published; the pricing page lists only an Enterprise plan via sales. |
| StackAI | Yes (limited) | Yes | 2 | Only a limited free plan and custom-priced Enterprise; no published mid-tier plan. StackAI has been acquired by Asana (announced on its homepage, 2026-10-22); the product is still sold. |
| Botpress | Yes (limited) | Yes | 2 | Paid plan prices shown are billed annually; AI usage beyond included amounts is billed separately. |
| CrewAI | Yes (limited) | Yes | 3 | Free plan limited to 50 executions/month; paid pricing not published. |
Pricing and best fit
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Easy-Start | Pricing summary (vendor) | Our label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindy | Small teams that want to hand repetitive email, reporting and CRM work to no-code agents. | No | 8/10 | Free start with $50 in credits that last 7 days (no card needed); Team from $29.99/mo billed monthly (3,000 credits), with larger credit tiers up to $9,999.50/mo; extra credits $10 per 1,000; Enterprise custom | Based on public information — not tested |
| Gumloop | Teams that want non-technical staff to build AI agents for sales, marketing and ops work. | No | 8/10 | Pro starts at $37/month (20k credits/month); Enterprise custom pricing; 14-day free trial | Based on public information — not tested |
| Make | Small businesses and agencies automating work across many apps without heavy coding. | Yes | 8/10 | Free $0/mo (1,000 credits/mo); paid plans Core, Pro, Teams and Enterprise — current prices: see vendor site (annual billing costs less than monthly; 50% off Business for organisations under 20 employees) | Based on public information — not tested |
| Zapier | Small teams that want to automate work across many SaaS apps without code. | Yes | 10/10 | Free forever plan (100 tasks/mo); Professional from $19.99/mo; Team from $69/mo; Agents Pro $400 billed annually ($33.33/mo); Enterprise contact for pricing | Based on public information — not tested |
| n8n | Technical teams that want to build custom AI agents and automations with full control, including self-hosting. | No | 6/10 | Starter €20/mo, Pro €50/mo, Business €667/mo (all billed annually); Enterprise contact sales; free cloud trial; self-hosted Community Edition on GitHub | Based on public information — not tested |
| Dify | Developers and agencies building custom AI agents and workflows. | Yes | 8/10 | Free Sandbox (200 one-time message credits) and free self-hosted Community edition; Professional $59/workspace/mo or $590/year; Team $159/workspace/mo or $1,590/year (annual saves 17%); Enterprise custom | Based on public information — not tested |
| Relevance AI | Mid-size and larger companies building an AI agent workforce with governance controls. | No | 8/10 | Pro $19/mo billed annually ($29 monthly; 2,500 actions + $20 vendor credits per month); Team $234/mo billed annually ($349 monthly; 7,000 actions + $70 vendor credits per month, calling & meeting agents); Enterprise custom (talk to sales). Free plan retired for new signups. | Based on public information — not tested |
| StackAI | Enterprises in regulated industries automating document and back-office processes. | Yes | 8/10 | Free plan $0/month (500 runs, 1 seat); Enterprise custom pricing | Based on public information — not tested |
| Botpress | Support teams that want AI agents to resolve tickets and take actions in their existing helpdesk. | Yes | 8/10 | Free plan ($0); Plus $150/mo billed annually; Team $750/mo billed annually; Enterprise custom | Based on public information — not tested |
| CrewAI | Developer and enterprise teams orchestrating multi-agent workflows. | Yes | 8/10 | Free Basic plan (50 workflow executions/mo); Enterprise custom | Based on public information — not tested |
Prices are as each vendor listed them when we verified the page; they change, so confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
How to pick: three questions
- What task? Write the job in one sentence. If it is support tickets, start with Botpress; if it is email and reports, Lindy; if it is moving data between apps, Zapier or Make.
- Which apps must it touch? Check the builder's integration list for the tools you already use before you compare prices.
- Who maintains it? If nobody on your team will watch and fix it, prefer a no-code option and keep the first agent small.
Honest limits
Agents can make mistakes, so test with real examples and keep a person checking early runs. Usage is metered in credits, tasks or runs, so cost grows with volume; the free plans above cap those numbers. Pricing for several of these is custom or not published.
Don't want to build it yourself?
Each tool page has a "Get it set up for you" option where an expert installs it and shows you how to use it. You can also browse the agent builders category. For ready-made agents by job see best AI agents; for two popular choices head to head see n8n vs Zapier.
Frequently asked questions
How can I create my own AI agent?
Pick one task, such as replying to email or qualifying leads, then choose a builder that connects to the apps you already use. No-code builders like Lindy, Gumloop and Zapier let you describe the job and test it before it runs on its own. Start small and check the first runs by hand.
What is the best AI agent builder?
There is no single best one; it depends on the task and who will maintain it. Among the builders we list, Lindy and Gumloop are aimed at non-technical staff, Make and Zapier at connecting many apps, and n8n, Dify and CrewAI at technical teams. We have not tested any of them.
Is an AI agent builder free?
Some have a free plan and some do not. Make and Zapier list free plans, as do Dify, StackAI, Botpress and CrewAI (with limits). Lindy gives a short free start and Gumloop a 14-day trial. Free plans cap runs or credits, so check the limit against your volume.
Is ChatGPT an AI agent?
ChatGPT is a chat assistant that answers when you ask. An AI agent is set up to take actions across your tools, such as updating a CRM or sending an email, often on a schedule or trigger. Builders on this page are for creating that kind of agent.
Sources: the vendor pages listed on each tool's page (linked above), read when each listing was verified. Get the weekly newsletter for new tools.
